Which of the following is an enforcement action?

• A. Suspension of federal financial assistance
• B. Editorial in school paper
• C. Verbal warning
• D. Counseling to victim and offender

Answer: (A)

An enforcement action is a formal sanction imposed by a regulatory authority to compel compliance with federal requirements. In Title IX, the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights can take enforcement actions when a school fails to meet obligations, and one of the most direct examples is suspending or withholding federal financial assistance, which acts as a concrete penalty that pressures reform and compliance. This kind of action has regulatory force and financial consequences for the institution, signaling that noncompliance will not be tolerated and must be remedied.

The other options do not fit the idea of an enforcement action: an editorial in a school paper is a publication and behind-the-scenes discourse, not a formal sanction; a verbal warning is an informal administrative note without regulatory consequences; counseling to the victim and offender is a supportive, restorative measure rather than a formal penalty imposed by a federal agency.